Kedarnath Temple Portals Close for Winter as Deity's Palanquin Begins Journey to Ukhimath
· India · The Hindu, Moneycontrol
Portals of the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, were closed for the winter season at 8:30 a.m. on November 11, 2026, following Vedic rituals that began at 4:00 a.m. After the temple doors were sealed, the ceremonial palanquin of Lord Kedarnath departed for its winter abode at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The processional journey will halt overnight at Rampur and Guptkashi before arriving in Ukhimath on November 13, where devotees can offer prayers for the next six months. Concurrently, the ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Yamuna departed Yamunotri for her winter abode in Kharsali. The Yamunotri Temple Committee reported collecting over ₹90 lakh in donations during the six-month pilgrimage season, which ended as both shrines received the season's first snowfall.
Why it matters
The annual winter closure shifts pilgrim activities from high-altitude Himalayan shrines to lower-altitude abodes like Ukhimath and Kharsali, where religious rituals will continue for the next six months.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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